Sony Alpha 77 II firmware update improves AF speed

Sony has released a firmware update for the SLT-a77 II, its 24MP semi-pro APS-C camera. Firmware 2.00 claims improved autofocus speed in all light conditions, but notably a 2.5x improvement in low light. Also added is support for XAVC-S format full HD video recording at 60p/30p/24p (requiring a Class 10 or faster SDXC card). The firmware update is currently available for download from Sony's support website.

Comments

Tried uploading Firmware V2.0 - looked to be going OK, but when I came back to computer update had failed. Maybe because sleep settings on computer too short.However, camera is now "daed" apart from "access lamp" being lit, whether or not camera is switched on.

Thanks, dpreview, for including the active link to the software upgrade! Appreciate the thoughtfulness in that! Hey - ya oughta review the A77M2 and compare with canon 7D2 and Samsung's new aps-c camera!

"It's improved all round! In bright conditions, the autofocus is nearly twice as fast as before; and in low light, the Alpha 77 II has cut 40% off its previous time. The shot-to-shot time, whether in JPG or RAW format, has come down from 0.5 to 0.3 s. With these excellent results, the Alpha 77 II outperforms the Nikon D7100, Canon EOS 70D and even the recent Canon EOS 7D Mark II."

I upgraded the firmware and hope it helps in low light. When will Sony upgrade the wifi/NFC App? It's too naive and far behind the one for a7 family. It would be a huge improvement if there is full manual control in wifi/NFC App for a77 M2.

Hopefully these FW updates will find its way to professional sporting events like FIFA, NFL, MLB, F1,.....as of now you'll find large majority of A77 bodies in high school gyms used by high schoolers and soccer moms, unlike 7D II, no road rage please, I'm just stating facts. But hey, A77 II has super uber butt kicking sensor right, HOORAY!

High schoolers and soccer moms who buy are better clients than aging tightwads who don't. However, some prefer brands that, instead of offering FW updates, simply offer $2k replacement bodies, which loyalists pay to beta test, every two years.

The assumption is FW can fix this on the A77.. Keep in mind it has a difference processor and many many fewer AF points. Also someplace I read that even making some buttons user settable is not fw changeable in the A77. How much FLASH issues are processor locked vs FW fixable I have no idea

I was mucking around with A77 at my local camera store....The EVF doesn't refresh quickly enough in certain situations..In late afternoon / dusk shooting I imagine it will be even worse..I also noticed that depending on how you roll your eye around the viewfinder the four corners tend to distort & get fuzzy... If Sony used their imagination & made the A77's with an OVF I would buy it straight away..... I imagine it would be much cheaper than the big two price gougers offerings....

You couldn't do what makes the A77 great with an OVF As someone who waited 2 years after the A77 was released to upgrade my A700 because of the EVF. I can say you will never understand the EVF playing with it in the dealer. I never did. Did this many times in 2 years because I wanted the camera but nit picked the EVF vs OVF each time. Video needs for shooting kids school events and sale price made me bite. Assumed I would use the A700 for stills at times. It took several hours w/the EVF and I was a convert, would never go back. If you compare EVF to OVF using it the same way, OVF will win most times. Its when you add the ability to aid focusing w/peaking & adapt to give you exposure preview, even in EVF image review and menu usage for when you are shooting in a theater when the LCD is not welcome. IT wins. There are places the OVF is better but few places where the EVF keeps you from getting the shot and places where it will do what the OVF can't Sold the A700 a week later

BTW Any soft edges or distortion is not the EVF.. I would check the diopter setting on the viewfinder or look at the lens you were using.. the EV shows you what the sensor sees. BTW the A77M2 improved the EVF (dot count didn't go up, but I shot the A77 vs A77M2 for a couple weeks when I upgraded) its better in low light. great in twiligt. The one place it lows VF image quality is bright sun.. can't shoot with sunglasses or its too dark etc.

Sony, XAVC-S on all current (still supported and being sold) Sony cameras at least for the ones more expensive than $500, but especially the ones that are more expensive than $1000: A7, A7R, VG30, VG900.

What EVF lag? Been shooting with A77 and now A77mk 2 and find NO slow down with it. I turn off image review and it shoots just like an OVF. The A77 Mk 2 is the fastest and most versatile camera I've shot with hands down. It might edge out the 7D mk2---but who cares which camera gets bragging rights as fastest? I don't. Both cameras are stellar. My fellow pro buddies shoot Canon 7DMk 2 and I shoot Sony. Let's be honest---these cameras are amazing and make shooting moving subjects a pleasure. Like to see unbiased reviews and real objective focus and speed tests, but the A77mk2 depending on how you choose to shoot high speed action, type of lens, third party or not, screw drive versus hypersonic lens, is going to give you stellar results. There is no limitation for magazine work, double spread photos with either camera. Just be honest. The EVF is fantastic. May not be someone's cup of tea, but I love it. These claims of a lag with EVF as unsubstantiated. The original ones were lousy--but not the A77 series. Competition drives innovation! Your turn Canon!

I use the A77 II and viewfinder lag is a problem when you are shooting college football and the runner is zig-zagging all over the field because the viewfinder always shows the last image captured. At 12 FPS, it isn't as hard to follow an erratic subject. Where precisely in the menu is "image review". How do I turn it off. My "auto review" is already off.

I have "Auto Review" off and I have some lag when shooting hummingbirds. It seems more noticeable than when I was using an A 57. It doesn't stop me from getting good shots, so I'm not that bothered by it, but truth be told it's there. If there is some setting besides " Auto Review" off, I'd like to know what.

@dboThe sense of its outcome is learning new knowledge on the part of the reader who might not have a chance/opportunity/time to get their hands on the two cameras and conduct a methodical comparison of their own.

Feel free to specify your question any time, so we could stop being wise and start being reasonable.

My catch question intended to get some arguments for discussion.There are no real standardized test routines the score and the judgement of a camera is mainly based on the personal impression of its test engineer.

It'll be interesting to see what software version dpreview uses for their A-77 II review. Oh, what review? It was announced by dpreview only seven months ago. Looks like dpreview is skipping this one :(

Funny, I see the Canon 7D II was announced 9/15 and they have a full review up in less than three months. Do I detect a slight Canon bias here?

As an old Nikon guy, after my D600 flaked and D800 had white spots, I jumped ship. This is a great camera, and for a change I actually HAVE a camera that gets a great firmware upgrade! As good as it WAS, it is very noticeably faster now! You get so many creative hardware scenarios with Sony, and they have the lenses I need. Not as many as Canikon to be sure, but very nice lenses in my wheelhouse. The 16-50/2.8 is a great kit zoom, but a little heavy. And having an A6000 as a second kit, using the same flashes, microphones, etc. is very satisfying (I can even share lenses with a LA-EA4!). Even my Sony P/S uses the same basic menus and I can add a mic to its hotshoe on a windy day. That's three different formats/mounts using shared kit. THAT'S how to build a system. Great job Sony! I'm with you for the long haul! ...Now to get that new A7ii to fill out my bag!

RedFox88 The A77ii was a great camera at launch and I didn't think it needed any firmware updates but but this makes an already great camera even greater. I'd take this over the Canon 7Dii at any price but at half the price it's a no brainer.

@Karl eunuch if the a77m2 was "prettylousy" what are all the canon and Nikon cameras it beat on pop photo's timed focus testing before this update. Sony started with an effort behind the sensors read the 7dii review to see how that helps..now they make focus an priority better sensor, better focus, better video. we are getting down to "but my system has more lenses you will never own, but can dream of"

Firmware updates are not always for fixes, but can be for enhancements. Adding an additional codec is not a fix, it is an enhancement.

The AF was already fast to begin with, to eek out even more performance by making it even faster and perform even better in low light is not a fix, it is an enhancement. It would be a fix if it was slow as a dog and couldn't lock on in low light situations, but that was not the case.

@K E HoffmanFirst: Don't give me names. Second: don't twist what I said. I spoke of the firmware in relation to the AF speed. Not about the camera as such.

@VirtualMirageI know pretty well what firmware updates can mean. I was referring solely to the AF speed. I maintain, that if it can be made twice as fast with the same hardware just by updating the sw, then the programmers didn't do a great job the first time. That is a matter of fact.

AF is not a new codec or a new functionality, that would be added. AF was already there before the update.

Referring to my comment:http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-7d-mark-ii?comment=6769947799and if that is true. The unfortunate down side of such a market dynamics is product release at a reasonable acceptable status. Company know there are glitches and fix them with firmware and patches on the fly. Its been like that for IT, cellphone and many computer related industries for years. The alternative, wait 5 years for a mk2, you know what I am talking about.

@karlwunsch: I get what you're saying, but following the user experience over the past several months people have seemed rather thrilled with the AF performance as it was at release. It wasn't really something people seemed to be looking for and I think most of us in the A-mount forum were rather surprised by the firmware announcement.

In addition, they also added the XAVC codec for video recording, which is what was referred to above.

@thebustosBut that's great news then. But I agree with Serious Sam and RedFox88. Time to market has become so important, that manufacturers launch half-baked stuff. As a customer, I don't like that trend.

@Karlwunsch: Sorry, my comment was not directed at you but instead to RedFox88. I should have labeled it as such. But since you opened the door, I'll respond to you:

The codec comment was in reference to the addition of the XAVC-S video codec, not AF.

As for the AF speed, the AF is already pretty great on the camera (I'm speaking from experience as an owner who previously owned an A77). Note that it doesn't say the AF speed is up to twice as as fast in all respects, but that AF speed as has been improved overall and up to 2.5x in low light conditions. This doesn't mean the original firmware was shoddy, just that they managed to squeeze out a little more juice from it. And 2.5x might sound like a lot, but when speaking in terms of something that is already fast the improvement could mean just fractions of an improvement. If the original firmware was shoddy, the AF would have been crap out the gate.

@VirtualMirageI never even hinted, that the AF was bad. I just don't like the trend where manufacturers in the oblivious pursuit of time-to-market release products, that aren't in their top shape.

Being a professional in electronics design, I'm talking from my personal experience. The software development lags behind the hardware design and the software developers are handcuffed by managers and their time tables. Seen this too many times to like it. And guess who'll always get bitten by this trend: us, customers.

That being said, I still appreciate, that Sony dedicated the resources to improve the algorithm and released new firmware (which seen from the management point of view is a non-capitalized effort).

This one with a grip still leaves you with $1000 for other fun stuff compared to the 7DII. I'm sure there are things that 7DII gives you that you don't get here. - But you can buy a lot of beer for $1000! :) ( Amazon US pricing... )

And further with SONY DSLMs - many people like myself are using the dead-cheap A3000 Body for it's great APS-C sensor with manual focus lenses - or together with a lens turbo or speed booster, to have that "full frame look". Please Sony, do make a 1.01 Firmware Update with RAW-shooting only, it's a mess, to record always a 20 MP JPEG together with the 20 MP ARW RAW file, thank you. It can't be that hard. Show us some love, as brand, would you?

I wonder how many people do this. I too use the A3000 for that one purpose, pair it with Canon Metabones speed booster so I can use Canon EF and most legacy lenses by adapter them to Canon EF mount first and then speedbooster. I wish the LCs, and EVF resolution were better.I think the future is the QX1. if someboy can build a grip for my Nexus 5 phone.

I just got a RX100, while search for firmware to upgrade, I found this joke. The firmware upgrade for RX100 is RX100 mk2 and mk3. This is how Sony works, just get a new camera, unless there is some serious screw up. I have got much better firmware upgrade experience from Samsung and Fuji.

ChuckTa: This is how Nikon works(compare D600/610, the same camera, but without dust), Canon(600/650/700D), and so on. About RX100 - stupid joke, isn't it? All RX100's are quite different(lens, VF, hot shoe, and so on)

ChuckTA, I would like to know how a firmware can add a flash mount on the RX100 mk1 or how a firmware can remove said flash mount but add the pop up EVF. Perhaps Sony could have sent instruction via firmware so that the nanites in the RX100 can be instructed to build the flash or EVF?

Similarly, Sony could have, via firmware, add the 5 axis stablization to the A7. Come to think of it, Sony could have instructed the nanites to convert all of their sensor to BSI (move those wires!)

Chuck, the only company that are generous with Firmware is Fuji. The rest issue firmware as bug fixes. Rarely, will they add a new feature. I understand this. When you buy a camera, it has a set specifications. As long as it works within specs, manufacturer not obligated to add new features. It would be like ordering an 8 oz filet mignon and then later the waiter comes up to you and slides over 2 more ounces. Free refills on steak and chicken but not the lobster.

A human on a vehilce like a motorbike would possibly make a good AF test.It can be erratic, but similarly erratic.Of course then you have the problem that the testers will become familiar with the course, so you need to make sure that all testers have had a minimum amount of experience with the target course.

A review site that can perform repetitive AF testing in various conditions will get lots of clicks!Testing on DR and noise really makes very little sense right now, except to differentiate iPhone's from FF dslr's.

Testing of AF would also drive the industry forward a lot. Much as noise comparisons have done before.

You scared me! Was there one out there ...Yes, that is a good start, but I'm more looking for tracking abilities.

Just build an Arduino robot that carries an AF target and drive it in a repetitive path in a long corridor at the office. And arrange LED strips for the whole distance so the light can be changed and controlled.And show us keeper ratios at different car speeds for the different tracks it runs.

AF tracking tests should include the ability to stay locked on target with a lot of things moving around, some moving between the subject and the target. This type of scenario occurs with team sports. I know my A77ii passes this test while my A77 does not. It doesn't take much to stay locked on a single target with nothing else in the way.

The A77ii WAS faster than any Nikon I've had (last two were D610 and D7100), and faster now than any other Canon or Nikon in my local camera store. The first comment is a real use experience based on a sizable jump in usable shots from my sons' football games versus my old Nikons, the in-store comparisons, though not as thoroughly tested, are comparisons with both cameras in-hand. The AF is easily faster on my upgraded A77ii than any Nikon or Canon the store had in stock, though they didn't have any D4-series or EOS1-series cameras. This isn't a noise comparison, the time to focus was faster, and it was more deliberate (less hunt). I can also state from experience that the low light AF is now just like daylight focussing, and easily as fast as my A6000. The A77ii actually seems quicker to lock than the A6000, so NOW I'm hoping for an A6000 AF tweak by firmware.

GREAT JOB SONY!! It is nice to be HAPPY with my camera company again! Keep innovating while the others rest on their laurels.

Don't knock it til you try it, Sony's come a long way since the A55. The modern EVFs are great. It's fantastic for shooting action, I think it could give the 7D2 a run for it's money (at half the money).

We have lots of sports shooters in Sony forum that do jjust fine. The EVF experience is different most but not all adapt. What is nice is video with full AF capabilities and tracking via EVF vs the torture of a slowed down focus system and trying to track while holding camera out in front. Pop photo on A77 article said it was only camera they could video BIFS with.

'Fine' is less than 'outstanding', which is where the 7D II lies. I'm sure I could mostly get along with the A77 II for action, but 'mostly getting along' is not what people buy a camera like the 7D II for.

I don't own either but lest say fine is 80% and outstanding is 100%. Then there is all the additional feature that 7D2 lacks. Oh one more thing. here is Australia just the body and the 70-200 2.8 has a 2K price difference between 7D2 and A77m2. I personally cannot see spending so much more and gaining so little.

Note that while the A77 II gains a few features being an SLT, it's still limited by Sony's lens lineup. Not nearly as bad as the Pentax K-3 has it, of course, but Sony is still no Canon or Nikon when it comes to lenses, especially of the telephoto variety!

@Eleson, my 'source' for the A77 II is that it's an SLT, and that the EVF introduces lag. For Sony to get their SLT technology up to action SLR specs would be a monumental achievement. One that I'm sure they are capable of, but also one that I don't believed they've yet reached.

@John outstanding you say: tried using liveview in daylight? oh wait how about shadow recovery on that 7Dm2? or wait the dynamic range? at least better ISO performance after 5 years!? how about full time PDAF in video with latest codecs? articulated screen? wifi? in-body AF range limiter? still no...? lets try a easy one then, wifi? what no? ok ok fine, something easier... competitive price? oh wait 2x the price... oh dear... either canon is taking you all for a ride or that AF must be able to just read your mind! :P

@John: Also you clearly haven't shot with the latest EVF on Sony. There is no lag for panning or capturing action. The refresh rate is faster than your eyes can notice anyway (unless you are superhuman). Everyone taking action shots on a-mount aren't just guessing where the subject is going to be and getting lucky guesses!!

"@Eleson, my 'source' for the A77 II is that it's an SLT, and that the EVF introduces lag"

So, you accept a solution where the AF is disengaged and blind when the shoot is taken (and basically guesses), but reject a solution where the photographers view lag a fraction of a second. Each to his own, I guess. I'd say both solution have its problems.

In the same time you also dismiss (or have never gotten used to) the possibility of shoting full action using liveview on a tripod.

As for the lens stuff, there is a gap for sure. How many stabilised primes do C offer that are faster than 2.8? Last I counted it was two. All Pentax and Sony primes are stabilized.For sure, Sony, Pentax and Olympus (and more) will never have as many lenses as C&N, simply because half of the C line up is not stabilised. And IBIS eliminates those lenses alltogether.

Regarding the glass issue, it is also worth mentioning that most Canon telephoto lens is optimized for their full frame body. When you attach them to APSC body, the performance drops. While the performance of Sony lens are more consistence but only at the level of Canon lens on APSC bodies.

Also correct my above comment about pricing. The actual difference is about $500. The body is about 1K cheaper with Sony while Sony's 70-200 2.8 II is $500 more than the Canon. I was reading the wrong product....sorry. Of course if you like many and run the Tamron SP lens, then the price difference between the two system is about 1K (just the body price difference).

@Serious Sam: You statement intrigues me. You say FF lenses on canon drop in performance on APS-C like 7Dm2? I find that hard to swallow. I have been considering canon for a while but if this is the case then it won't be an option for me anymore.

As for on Sony they provide a good range of lenses. Yes it is lacking in certain areas but for most use cases, there is a very good range (but can sometimes be expensive).

@Eleson: I am guessing the reason being especially on the 'G' lenses like 70-200mm/2.8 they sell less in quantity than canon or nikon. So the price goes up. Not defending Sony's price here, just saying that might be the reason...

What I am referring to is optical performance. Its is a consistance case across FF lens when you use them on APSC bodies. Check out the lens rating on DXOmark for a particular lens across different bodies and you will understand what I mean. The lens itself is absolutely fine.

The main reason for buying into a system like Canon or Nikon is you can invest in really expensive glass and you can reuse them when you upgrade to full frame. System shooting is what took canon and Nikon to where they are today. Having said that I believe that the market dynamics of camera market had changed. These days you can easily invest in one system and if you don't like it, sell and switch. Sticking to a system can easily do yo more bad than good. 7D2 is a classic example which I wrote about this in here:

If you used an A77ii for a few days, you'd literally forget it was an EVF. No so on the A6000, but you would on the A77ii. It is that good an EVF. THEN, when you'd NEED it, touching that exposure comp dial and SEEING your adjustment is sublime! Or WB, or manual exposure, or DOF... you just have to let go of your old ways and embrace the technology. In SOME cases it is THAT good.

I shoot sports all the time with my A77 and A77ii all the time. The EVF is no hindrance at all for single shots while in burst mode, while it took a while to get used to the "slide show" it is of no hindrance either.

@John C TharpI should have re phrase my comment, the lens itself does not lose performance but the system itself does. Its very logical since an APSC body perform worse that a FF body. The overall system will perform worse when is same lens is compared betwenn a ASPC and FF body.

1 comment is true though. Canon EF lens are optimized for FF. My friends brother just brought a 1DX and he is already seeing huge difference with his L glass.

"Where's Sony's 200/2? 400/2.8? 600/4? 800/5.6? 200-400/4?"

Why you need so much telephoto lens?? two to three in a system is more than enough. For the few that who buy all these, Sony, Fuji,...etc is happy to pass them on to Canon. It such a small market that need so much effort. Such money is better spend on making better bodies and standard lens with let risk and better return ratio.

@Serious Sam- agreed, it's the performance of the system, and only the very (very) best lenses do not show performance degradation on crop sensors; mostly Canon and Nikon super-telephotos and Zeiss APO primes.

Your friend's brother should also see a definite improvement with a 1D X- again, unless he had the very best lenses listed above.

And yes, Canon and Nikon make a range of telephoto lenses because *gasp* they all have different uses! Just having a 300 and a 500 is not enough. Not even close.

@nandbytes- people who buy the super-telephoto lenses are the ones who actually need them. You can shove the rest of your comment.

As a Canon fanboy, you probably haven't even tried the Sony products. As been stated earlier, the lagtime is really a non issue. What is ancient technology is having a mirror slapping back and forth! Maybe you should read up where people have used both cameras before making blanket statements?

Review Comment: "On DX/APS-C format, the Sony compares very favourably to the Nikon. The former is a touch sharper wide open at the short end, but the Sony pulls well ahead for sharpness at 400mm F5.6. In other respects the two lenses run pretty well neck-and-neck." (similar results on FF - and the long-end is the important end on these lenses)

You are showing an almost personal dislike for Sony in this thread, did they do something to upset you?

People who easily dismiss the new EVF technology I honestly think have their perceptions set in from back in 2003 when they first saw EVFs in a "semi-serious" camera and (rightfully) sneered. These are great now, and getting better every time, bearing no resemblance at all to ones you're accustomed to seeing. When you shoot one, it's jarring and uncomfortable at first because there's so much feedback and data you're just not used to, pre shot. You really have to stick with it for a week or so to see what you've been missing. It changes your flow but not in a bad way, gives you more tools in your hand for perfecting that next shot, that's a whole separate thread in itself. It's a beautiful, liberating, growing experience coming from OVF. This is coming from someone who loved my OVF and thought I'd never like an EVF, either.

Whenever people ask me "doesn't the EVF suck?", I tell them not only does it not suck, it's actually great. This isn't your Dad's EVF; but your OVF might be!

Average customer walking into anywhere isn't even aware mirrorless is "a thing"... Sony's always done better (than Oly/Fuji/Samsung/Panasonic) in securing retail space and trying to get the word out but they still fall short.

Sony used to have it clear - with nexes and Alphas, but since someone popped with that stupid idea of officially naming nexes Alphas - even Sony's own management gets confused by what is what (see: infamous comment about mirrorless and SLTs being fully interchangable), not to mention customers. And the fact that they make A3000 - e-mount camera looking exactly like A-mount cameras - doesn't help them at all.

the A77 Mark II was/is a victim of the combined effects of review staff turnover, a photokina year and an ongoing initiative to improve the reviews, the tests and the processes behind them. We are winding up again, and the A77 II is being worked on. I suspect it'll be January.

I don't think it's coming. If they wait much longer it will be totally irrelevant in any case. I went ahead and bought one and I'm very happy with it. The better kit lens (f/2.8) is surprisingly sharp.

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It's here! The long-awaited next-generation Fujifilm GFX has been officially launched. Click through to learn more about the camera that Fujifilm is hoping will shake up the pro photography market - the GFX100.

We've known about the Fujifilm GFX 100 since last fall, but now it's official: this 102MP medium-format monster will be available at the end of June for $10,000. In addition to its incredible resolution, the camera also has in-body IS, a hybrid AF system, 4K video and a removable EVF.

According to DJI, any drone model weighing over 250 grams will have AirSense Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers installed to help drone operators know when planes and helicopters are nearby.

Chris and Jordan are kicking off a new segment in which they make feature suggestions to manufacturers for the benefit of all photographer-kind. To start things off, they take a look at the humble USB-C port and everything it could be doing for us.

The Olympus TG-5 is one of our favorite waterproof cameras, and the company today introduced the TG-6, a relatively low-key update. New features include the addition of an anti-reflective coating on the sensor, a higher-res LCD, and more underwater and macro modes.

The Leica Q2 is an impressively capable fixed-lens, full-frame camera with a 47MP sensor and a sharp, stabilized 28mm F1.7 Summilux lens. It's styled like a traditional Leica M rangefinder and brings a host of updates to the hugely popular original Leica Q (Typ 116) that was launched in 2015.

We've been playing around with a prototype of the new Peak Design Travel Tripod and are impressed so far: it's incredibly compact, fast to deploy and stable enough for the heaviest bodies. However, the price may turn some away.